News & Notes

Jim Coleman Company (JCC) is celebrating 40 years in the carwash business.

JCC opened in 1966. Forty years later the company employs over 300 people with over 100 worldwide distributors and thousands of customers all over the world.

In celebration of the 40-year anniversary, approximately 300 customers and employees were invited to join in a birthday celebration held in Las Vegas this year.

Congressional support for the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act has reached 87 sponsors.

Supporters of the Right to Repair Act expanded the bill this year to clarify that car company trade secrets are protected unless that information is provided to the franchised new car dealer.

In addition, the updated bill also clarifies the responsibilities of the Federal Trade Commission in enforcing the bill’s requirements.

The city of Glendale told Danny Hendon, founder of the Danny’s Family Carousel Carwash chain, and Ellman Companies that their $9 million carwash and gas station project will have to wait until Glendale can attract a grocery shopping center.

Hendon has been working on the project with the cooperation of the Ellman Companies and Glendale city representatives for the past two years, but the city now claims the agreement was for the Ellman companies to bring in a grocery store anchor tenant before adding the carwash.

Hendon said that he is likely to sue to see that his project, already $300,000 in the design process, will be completed as scheduled.

“At the midnight hour, they tell me I have to wait,” Hendon said. “I’m going to sue somebody. We’re just not walking away from a half-million bucks.”

Twenty-two Super-Lube stations and five Auto Super Service Centers were sold to Sunshine Car Care LLC, a Florida-based company whose main shareholders use a business address in Wisconsin.

Sunshine Car Care paid $15.2 million for the stations and $4 million for the auto service centers.

The lube chain was founded more than 20 years ago by a former Florida State University business professor.

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Robert Gledhill was recently elected vice president of manufacturing of Blue-White Industries at the company’s annual stockholder’s meeting.

Gledhill began his Blue-White career while still a student at Orange Coast College and managed the company’s computer hardware systems, which include five servers and 35 workstations.

Jerry Robbins, president of Twin Oaks Car Wash, High Point, NC, was recently recognized by a local paper for the memorable sayings he has included on the large white sign at the front of his wash since 1961.

Jerry’s sayings include humorous gems like, “Nostalgia is life in the past lane,” and “If you’re not pleased with your carwash, we’ll give your dirt back.”

The signs have caught the eye of most everyone in the community and have also become a source of community goodwill; posting free advertising for church carnivals and civic fundraisers.

Maria Morfin, an employee at Pinky’s Klassy Kar Wash, Antioch, CA, is known for her attention to detail and her hard work has been acknowledged by a California paper.

Morfin has worked at Pinky’s for the past 10 years, and customers often ask for the carwash package named after her: the “Little Maria Special.”

Stephanie Harriman, the new owner of Pinky’s, said that customers request Morfin because she is meticulous.

SmithBucklin, the association management company that oversees the International Carwash Association (ICA), has named Julie Silverstein as its new president.

Silverstein will continue in her role as chief operating officer. She succeeds Henry Givray, who was elevated from board member to chairman and continues on as CEO at SmithBucklin.

Mark Thorsby, executive director of the ICA, said the promotion will have no effect on the ICA.

“This is really just a new title for Julie,” Thorsby said. “In my capacity (as executive director of the ICA), she’s my boss. I report to her within the company. But it has zero impact on the International Carwash Association.”

Smith Bucklin provides management services to over 185 organizations.

George Bryans has recently joined the Ardex Laboratories Inc. sales team.

Bryans will be responsible for distributor development in the Midwestern and Northeastern regions of the United States and Canada.

Ardex Laboratories Inc., based in Philadelphia, PA, is a manufacturer of professional reconditioning chemical products in the carwash industry.